I looked to him then to Dominic, who stood like he was waiting for an explanation.
I glared at him. "Don't give me that look. Micah was hittin' her over a stupid accident, like I'm goin' to stand by and not help me friend out when she needs me!"
Dominic fucking beamed at me as he said, "Friend?"
I felt myself flush. "Yeah, we're friends, it's not that shockin'!"
Dominic laughed, reached forward and pulled me into him.
"I'm gettin' paint on you," I gasped.
"It's school paint, it will wash out," he replied.
"If only Micah had that logic," Alannah mumbled making me laugh.
I glanced at her and watched as she blatantly ignored Damien's attempts at flirting to get her attention. I grinned when he frowned at the back of her paint stained head; he looked so confused as to why he didn't have her attention. The poor sod didn't realise he wasn't going to get her for the dirty romp he wanted.
"I'm going to finish helping with hanging up the posters," Damien said to the back of Alannah's head.
"Bye," Alannah chirped and began lowly singing along to the song that was playing through the speakers in the hall.
Damien grunted then turned and walked off. No, more like stormed off.
"What's eating him?" Dominic murmured as he watched his brother walk away.
I tugged on Dominic's shirt for his attention, and when I got it, I flicked my eyes Alannah's way. "He wants someone he can't have," I whispered.
Dominic looked to Alannah and then to Damien, who was already straight into flirting with girls across the hall, probably to make himself feel better about Alannah ignoring him.
Dominic fully smiled when he looked back to me. "You made a friend and stood up to Micah; Damien got shut down by a girl; I haven't gotten into a fight this week. What the hell is happening around here?"
I chuckled and hugged him tight. "Things are changin' for the better," I said as I flicked my eyes to my new friend then to Damien, who was watching her from across the hall with a look of determination about him. "Definitely for the better."
"Bronagh?" Dominic's voice called from downstairs.
I peeked my head from under the covers of my bed. "What?" I shouted back.
"Come here!" he shouted even louder.
I groaned as I pushed my blankets from my body and got out of my bed. I slipped my feet into my fuzzy slippers and walked zombie-like out of my room, down the hall, and down the stairs. No one was in the sitting room so I went into the kitchen and froze when I caught sight of all the Slater brothers seated at my kitchen table. They made the room look tiny.
"Is someone dead?" I asked, wariness in my voice.
Ryder gave me a weird look. "No, why?"
I shrugged. "The last time this many people were sat around my kitchen table was when a bunch of people were tellin' me that me ma and da were gone to Heaven and wouldn't be comin' home. I was young, but I still knew that meant they were dead."
Ryder blinked at me while the others just looked at me with different expressions on their faces.
"Then of course the Garda tried to take me away and put me into care, and that resulted in Branna almost gettin' arrested for assaultin' a Garda," I smirked making the five brothers snort and laugh as well.
"How come she wasn't charged?" Damien asked me as I turned and began looking through the fridge for something to eat.
"They said she was shocked over our parents death and that someone tryin' to take me from her was askin' to be punched in the face, which is exactly what Branna did." I stood up when I had the makings for a sandwich and turned to Ryder with a grin on my face. "She used to kickbox before our parents died, so remember that when you make her mad."
Ryder laughed and rubbed his jaw. "I could have done with knowing that information a few months ago."
I smiled. "She has a mean right hook, huh?"
Ryder pouted and nodded, making his brothers laugh. I chuckled as well then turned and began making my sandwich.
"What has you all here tonight? Do you all have a night off from criminal activities or somethin'?" I asked and was met with complete and utter silence.
I looked over my shoulder and smiled to the wide-eyed stares looking back at me. "I know a creepy man, Mr. Doyle, down the road in an apartment complex who stares for too long if you all need to scratch a need-for-crime itch. I'll turn a blind eye while you deliver it as well, won't rat or anythin'."
Alec was the first to smile at me. "You're a regular fucking comedian aren't you?"
I snorted. "Yep, because I insinuated you, Mr. Escort, would be kickin' someone's arse instead of fuckin' it."
I couldn't hear Alec's reply because the rest of the brothers burst out laughing and banged on the table with their hands.
When my sandwich was made I picked it up and bit into it before turning around and leaning against the counter while I looked at the still chuckling group of brothers. Dominic was smiling wide at me, which made me straighten up.
"What?" I asked him nervously.